Tech recruits still committed but cautious

Like many Texas Tech football fans, Kadron Boone has experienced a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions in the two weeks since Mike Leach was fired as head coach.

Less than three weeks before national signing day, one of the Red Raiders' top commitments for 2010 still doesn't know what to make of the situation.

Boone, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound receiver from Ocala, Fla., said Wednesday he has not de-committed from Tech. But he's also keeping his options open. He took a visit to Louisville last weekend and has a trip to LSU planned this weekend.

"It's a big mess and it's a lot to try to take in," said Boone, who has been rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com. "I had a good relationship with coach Leach and coach Lincoln Riley, and now with them gone and bringing in a new coach and trying to figure out a new scheme and all this, it's just a lot to take in.

"I'm in a bad-slash-good situation," Boone added. "There's three more weekends to go, and I can take three more visits before signing day."

Boone said was he recruited by Riley, who was let go by new Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville, and Dennis Simmons, who will be reassigned to an unspecified athletic department position after serving two years as wide receivers coach.

Boone said he hasn't had any contact with the new members of Tech's coaching staff, including Tuberville and offensive coordinator Neal Brown, so he's not sure what to think about the state of the program, the offense and his potential role on the team.

"Right now I'm just a little lost for words. I don't know where I'm going to go from this," Boone said. "... They've got a lot going on, a lot's going on in my mind, and there's a lot of stuff to deal with between now and signing day. I'm just trying to take my time and put myself in a good situation."

Two other receiving prospects from Florida, brothers Ben and Javares McRoy, remain cautiously committed to the Red Raiders. Their guardian, Bruce Mandish, said Wednesday they're still planning to come to Lubbock this weekend for a visit.

But Mandish said the news of Riley's dismissal was "very disappointing" to the McRoy brothers, who built a strong rapport with the 26-year-old offensive coach from Muleshoe.

"If coach Riley was there, it would be game, set, match, over, no doubt," Mandish said. "But with coach Riley not there and a whole new set of coaches ... we need to meet with those guys and make sure they're comfortable."

Mandish said the McRoy brothers - Ben is a 2010 commitment and Javares is a 2011 pledge - are glad Simmons is staying. Mandish said he's also done some research on Brown, who served as Troy's offensive coordinator the last two years, and he likes what he's seen so far.

"We're going to keep an open mind and talk to coach Tuberville and coach Brown and see what their plans are with the offense," Mandish said. "It appears they'll run a wide-open offense, and that's what we want. Hopefully, the boys will be comfortable and we'll go from there. The boys aren't going to de-commit or anything."

Like Boone, though, the McRoys are entertaining offers from other schools, specifically Louisville.

"They've been in touch, and we're obviously listening to them," Mandish said. "We have to have a backup plan."